Mastitis prevention

ABSTRACT

A method, composition and containerized product for use in preventing the disease of mastitis in dairy cows and other animals. The invention employs a homogenous disinfectant composition in the form of an aerosol spray which applies disinfectant to the teat while at the same time chilling the teat, particularly at the lower end where the teat sphincter muscle is located. Use of the present disinfectant composition, which contains an aerosol propellant such as dimethyl ether, results in chilling temperatures of about 25° to 35° F. being attained on the exterior surface and orifice end of the teat. By such treatment, the teat sphincter is caused to contract and close the teat orifice, thus reducing the incidence of infection.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the prevention of mastitis, a mammarygland infection, in dairy cattle and other animals. More particularly,the present invention relates to a method of treating the teats of dairycattle after milking for the purpose of preventing mastitis. Alsodisclosed are a disinfectant composition as well as a container andvalve construction for use in such treatment.

Previous methods for reducing the incidence of mastitis in dairy cattlehave included the practice of applying a disinfectant to each of theteats of the cow after milking by the use of a dip cup. The proceduregenerally includes filling the dip cup with a disinfectant and dippingeach teat individually in the cup after milking. This procedure has beenused for many years and has been universally recommended. However, thereare disadvantages associated with such a procedure. In particular, theedge of the cup and the disinfectant itself may spread disease from oneinfected teat to another and from cow to cow. The cup can also becumbersome to use and dipping all the teats takes additional time whichdairy farmers do not have. Thus the dipping procedure is sometimeseither omitted altogether or carried out in an improper manner.

By the present invention, there is provided a method for preventingmastitis by the use of a disinfectant composition in the form of anaerosol spray which applies disinfectant to the teat while at the sametime chilling the teat, particuarly at the lower end where the teatsphincter muscle is located. By such treatment, the teat sphincter iscaused to contract and close the teat orifice, thus reducing theincidence of infection.

The use of the disinfectant in the form of an aerosol spray has manyadvantages, including: first, it is convenient and quickly available;second, most people accept and readily use such sprays so that the jobof treatment with disinfectant is more likely to be carried out by thedairy farmer; third, the use of the aerosol container and spray willeliminate cross-contamination between teats and also between cows;fourth and very important, the particular aerosol spray compositionwhich is employed produces the desired chilling effect on the teat.

The use of commercial milking machines tends to dilate or stretch thesphincter at the end of the teat, thus making it easier for infection toenter the mammary gland after milking. Chilling the end of the teat,however, promotes contraction of the sphincter and also reduces theinflammatory change that occurs in the tissue at the end of the teatfrom the repeated trauma of the milking machine. Reducing the traumainduced inflammation by chilling results in healthier tissue at the endof the teat and the healthier condition of the tissues helps inpreventing infection from entering the mammary gland. Contraction of thesphincter by rapid chilling of the end of the teat closes the streakcanal and further reduces the possibility of infectious organismspassing through the teat orifice into the mammary gland.

The present invention is distinguished from the procedure described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,144,386 to Brightenback, wherein an aerosol foampreparation is employed for the purpose of treating dairy cattle alreadyinfected with mastitis. In the prior art method, a medicinal preparationin the form of an aerosol foam is injected into the affected portion ofthe udder by the use of a cannula type applicator. Thus the Brightenbackpatent is not concerned with treatment of the exterior of the teats forthe purpose of preventing infection.

The present invention is also distinguished from the procedure describedin U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,696 to Keith, wherein the teats are sprayed withdisinfectant by the use of a spray nozzle contained within a tubularshroud, the nozzle being connected by a conduit to a hand operated airpressurized mechanism for use in transmitting disinfectant to thenozzle. In this prior art device, there is no means for achieving thechilling effect which is necessary in order to obtain the desiredeffects of the present invention.

In a similar manner, the present invention is distinguished from theprocedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,423 to Sparr, which ispressurized by air under pressure and no means are provided in thisprior art device for obtaining the necessary chilling effect of thepresent invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol spray isprovided in a pressurized container having a valve which allows thecontainer to be held beneath the udder and near the teats and which canprovide a suitable pattern of spray, preferably fan-shaped, which passesupwardly and outwardly in an axial direction from the container to coverthe lower end of the teat with disinfectant and propellant, flashvolatilization of the propellant chilling the lower end of the teat atthe same time.

By the present method, only the spray with disinfectant touches theteat, thus eliminating the problems of cross-contamination between teatsand the spread of infection from one cow to another as occurs in thedipping procedure. Also, the method of applying disinfectant underpressure in accordance with the present invention tends to blow away theresidual milk at the end of the teat and to cause effervescence of thedisinfectant which permits better contact of the disinfectant with theteat orifice.

The composition which is employed in the treatment of the presentinvention includes a combination of materials which has been found to beparticularly useful in the prevention of mastitis. In particular, thecomposition provides the necessary disinfectant and chilling effect,while also maintaining a uniform mixture throughout the use of thecontents of a pressurized container of the composition. In oneembodiment, the composition of the present invention includes thefollowing components: an aerosol propellant such as dimethyl ether; adisinfectant such as chlorhexidine; a lower alkanol such as ethanol;glycerine; a dye material; and water.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved methodof treatment for preventing mastitis in dairy cattle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a disinfectantcomposition which may be used in the form of an aerosol spray toeffectively and rapidly chill the teats of dairy cattle as thedisinfectant is applied so as to result in improved protection againstmastitis.

It is another object of the invention to provide a specific compositionhaving an appropriate propellant ratio in combination with a containerand valve construction which is highly effective for use in applying adisinfectant in aerosol form to the teats of dairy cattle.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method of reducingthe adverse effects of commercial milking machines on the teats of dairycattle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of preventingmastitis which is easy to use and readily accepted by dairy farmers.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate cross-contaminationbetween the teats of a cow or between cows such as has been experiencedwith prior art methods employing a dip cup.

These and other objects will be more fully understood from the followingdetailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the present invention inwhich an aerosol spray of disinfectant is applied with chilling to theteats of a dairy cow;

FIG. 2 is a view of the container similar to that seen in FIG. 1 butwith the container rotated 90° and showing the preferred fan-shapednature of the spray pattern;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2 toillustrate the elongate slot-type nozzle orifice used to help accomplishthe fan-shaped spray pattern;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section view of a teat at the finish ofmilking, the sphincter having relaxed leaving the streak canal andorifice open;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, illustrating application ofthe disinfectant spray composition which blows away the residual milkdroplet(s) and causes closing the streak canal and teat orifice; and

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate an aerosol container and details of a priorart discharge valve and nozzle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5,an aerosol container 10 which holds the composition of the presentinvention is provided, with the container 10 being shown in FIG. 1 inposition directly beneath the udder and teats 12 of a dairy cow. Thecomposition is shown as being projected upwardly in an axial directionfrom the container 10 in a fan-shaped spray pattern 14 by the use of anozzle 16 as in FIG. 3 with an elongate slot type orifice 17. Thedistance between the nozzle 16 and the lower end of the teat 12 may beabout 4 to 6 inches. The container 10 which includes the valvingcomponent and container cap 11 may be formed of aluminum or othersuitable material such as tin-plate. Such container, with the valved capand discharge control unit, are commercially available aerosol spraycontainer components. Suitable valve, cap and discharge control arecomponents which are well known, e.g., suitable such units being shownand described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,185,350; 3,260,416 and3,967,763 all of which patents are incorporated herein by reference. Thecontainer may be lined with a coating such as plastic, if desired.

During the milking process, milk flows downwardly from the udder 18 intoeach individual teat 12 through a rosette of tissue 20 known asFurstenberg's rosette. The milk flows into the teat cistern 22 and theninto the teat orifice 24 known as the streak canal where it passes outof the teat 12 in a flow controlled by the teat sphincter muscle 26.

As shown in FIG. 5, the application of the aerosol spray disinfectantcomposition with the chilling effect results in the contraction of thesphincter 26 as well as the teat orifice 24, as the cold spray 14impacts the end of the teat 12, blows off the leaked milk droplet(s) 28,and inundates and penetrates the end of the teat and the orifice 24,thus further contributing to the prevention of mastitis as describedherein.

The composition employed in the present invention includes an aerosolpropellant such as dimethyl ether which functions as a carrier and lowtemperature-producing agent. The propellant component, which ispreferably water and alcohol soluble, may be present in an amount offrom about 5 to 75% by weight of the total composition. Dimethyl etheris the preferred propellant.

The composition also includes a disinfectant such as chlorhexidine, or aquaternary ammonium compound or an iodine compound such as povidoneiodine. Chlorhexidine is the preferred disinfectant. The disinfectant ispresent in an amount of about 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of the totalcomposition.

Other components which may be employed in the composition include alower alkanol of 3 carbon atoms or less such as ethanol in an amount ofabout 0 to 75% by weight of the composition. Glycerine or other watersoluble emollient such as sorbitol or water-dispersible lanolin may alsobe included, in an amount of about 0 to 75% by weight of thecomposition. The emollient serves to prevent chapping of the teats andto protect the tissue at the end of the teats as well as a propellantcarrying agent. Either one or a combination of the alkanol and theemollient must be present in the amount of not less than 5% by weight.

The composition may also include a dye material to provide an indicationthat a particular cow has been treated in accordance with the invention.Suitable dyes which may be employed include water soluble, non-toxicdyes such as the conventional FD & C dyes. A particular dye which may beemployed is FD & C Blue No. 1, and the amount of dye in the totalcomposition will generally be less than 1.0% by weight.

Water is added in an amount sufficient to provide a total composition of100 weight %.

Other components may be optionally added, such as suitable corrosioninhibitors, such materials being particularly desirable when a tin platecontainer is used to dispense the composition.

In one embodiment of the invention, the following composition wasprepared:

    ______________________________________                                        Component        Amount in Weight %                                           ______________________________________                                        Chlorhexidine acetate                                                                          0.4                                                          Dimethyl ether   35.0                                                         SDA40-2 Ethyl alcohol,                                                                         10.0                                                         anhydrous                                                                     Glycerine USP 99%                                                                              9.83                                                         FD & C Blue No. 1                                                                               0.003                                                       Water, deionized 44.767                                                                        100%                                                         ______________________________________                                    

The composition of the present invention may be prepared by mixing allthe components except the propellant and adding such mixture to asuitable container to be pressurized, after which the propellant isadded under suitable pressurized conditions in accordance withconventional methods which are known in the art. Thus, for example, inthe case of dimethyl ether, a supply of the propellant in liquid form ata pressure of 500 to 800 psi may be added to a container of the othermixed components to produce a pressurized container holding ahomogeneous mixture of propellant and the other components, with aninternal pressure of about 60 psi in the container.

The method of the present invention has been found to be particularlyeffective when a temperature in the range of from about 25° to 35° F. israpidly attained on the exterior surface and orifice end of the teat 12of the cow. Such a temperature should be obtained for at leastapproximately one second duration in order to achieve proper contractionof the sphincter 26. In general, the reduction of temperature on theteat surface adjacent the teat orifice 24 should be a value as cold aspractical without creating tissue damage, preferably close to orslightly below the freezing temperature of water. The composition of thepresent invention has been found to provide such temperatures whenapplied as an aerosol spray 14 described herein. Such surfacetemperatures have been measured in the use of the present composition bya conventional surface temperature measuring probe placed on the surfaceof the teat adjacent the teat orifice 24 at the lower end of the teat12. Application of the aerosol spray for less than about one second maynot provide the desired chilling effect to cause proper contraction ofthe sphincter, whereas application of spray for periods of time greaterthan approximately one second may not be economically feasible sinceunnecessarily large amounts of disinfectant and other materials would berequired.

The present composition has been found to be particularly effective inallowing the propellant component of the composition to disperse thedisinfectant in an even manner throughout the spray pattern and also toallow a continuous ratio of these components to be obtained in the spraywhich is emitted from the can, from the first use of the can to thelast.

It has been found by the present invention that cows are not unusuallysensitive to the application of cold or chilling to the teat.Furthermore, it has been found that chilling of the teat at theindicated temperatures does in fact cause contraction of the sphinctermuscle at the lower end of the teat orifice. This has been demonstratedby chilling the teat of a cow that is leaking milk due to milk letdownprior to milking. The chilling action at a chilling temperature in therange of about 25° to 35° F. will either stop or significantly slow downthe leakage of milk. Such results have been obtained by the use of theaerosol spray of the invention on the teats of dairy cows both prior toand after milking.

The prepackaged form of the aerosol teat disinfectant, in accordancewith the present invention, because of the hermetically sealed nature ofthe aerosol product eliminates contamination of the disinfectant priorto or during use. The standard dip cup on the farm, on the other hand,is often found to contain gross contamination. In the present invention,nothing but the spray composition with the uncontaminated disinfectanttouches the teat. This eliminates cross-infection from cow to cow asfrequently happens when the rim of the dip cup or other disinfectantapplying instrument touches the end of the teat, easily spreadinginfection from cow to cow.

The containerized composition with teat disinfectant of the presentinvention provides a convenient form of teat disinfectant. It is easy touse and readily accepted by the farmer and the cow. The nuisance ofhaving to repeatedly refill a dip cup is eliminated. Also the presentaerosol spray provides a uniform application right up until the can isempty, which condition is apparent to the operator. With a dip cup, anoperator may not apply any disinfectant to some teats as the cup becomcsnearly empty.

It has also been found that an aerosol does a better job of applying thedisinfectant to the teat. The force of the aerosol tends to blow awaythe residual drop of milk at the end of the teat. Also, theeffervescence of the aerosol disinfectant tends to more readilypenetrate the somewhat dilated teat orifice, which may take as long astwo hours to close following a mechanical milking operation. Thiseffervescent action provides more intimate contact of disinfectant atthe teat orifice where the entry of infection usually occurs.

The chilling effect of the aerosol on the end of the teat is also verybeneficial so far as promoting healthy tissue is concerned. The aerosolcomposition of the present invention is capable of chilling the teatsurface to 30° F. Chilling tends to reduce the inflammation and edemacaused by the trauma of the milking machine. Thus healthier tissue isobtained at the end of the teat and tissue in such condition can morereadily prevent infection from entering the mammary gland. Chilling ofthe end of the teat also enhances contraction of the dilated sphinctermuscle at the end of the teat. This also reduces the possibility ofinfection entering a mammary gland.

With regard to the composition of the present invention, considerableinventive effort was required to develop an aerosol formulation thatwould give a sprayed surface temperature effect in the range of about25° to 35° when the contents of the aerosol package were at ambienttemperature. Such a characteristic was obtained by the use of theparticular composition of the present invention which is a preferredcomposition.

By the present invention, there is provided a new improved method,composition and containerized product for use in preventing theinfection of mastitis in dairy cows and other animals. No other diseasein dairy cows has been as thoroughly investigated as mastitis, and ithas been shown that for every dollar invested by the dairy farmer inmastitis control, more than eight dollars can be returned throughimproved production. Further, in herds where no control is attempted, ithas been found that fifty percent of the cows are infected in an averageof two quarters of the udder and three of every four cows are infectedfor seventy five percent of their milking lives. It has also beendetermined that an absolutely essential element in any effective effortto control mastitis is the application of disinfectant to the teatsafter each milking. New infections have been found to be reduced fiftypercent or more when teats are treated with an appropriate disinfectant.Thus the persent invention provides a new and improved treatment incontrolling and preventing a widely prevalent disease in dairy cows.

While the basic structure of the container 10, the valving component andcap 11 and the discharge nozzle component 16 with slot-shaped orifice,as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 (which are drawn to scale) are well knownand commercially available, the actual dimensions of the container,which is cylindrical, are approximately 7 inches (178 mm) in length frombase to capped end and 2 inches (50 mm) in diameter. These dimensionsprovide a container which will have a capacity for at least 10 oz. ofthe composition and yet can be conveniently held by the dairy farmerwhile enabling enhanced directional applications of the spray.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. Amethod of treating a mammal to prevent mastitis which comprises applyingby aerosol spray to the outer skin surface of a teat of the mammal awater-based disinfectant composition and chilling said outer skinsurface to a surface temperature of about 25° to 35° F. for a timeperiod of at least one second, said composition including a homogeneousmixture of water, a disinfectant and a water and alcohol soluble aerosolpropellant carrier having the characteristics necessary to produce saidchilling temperature upon volatilization, thereby causing the teatsphincter muscle to contract.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein saiddisinfectant composition includes: from about 0.1 to 5.0 weight % of adisinfectant; and from about 5 to 75 weight % of a propellant.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said disinfectant is chlorhexidine.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said propellant is dimethyl ether.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said aerosol disinfectant compositionincludes: from about 5 to 75 weight % of a propellant; from about 0.1 to5.0 weight % of a disinfectant; 0 from about 0 to 75 weight % of a loweralkanol; from about to 75 weight % of a water soluble emollient; whereinnot less than one or a combination of the alkanol and the emollient ispresent; up to 1.0 weight % of a water soluble dye; and water.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein said disinfectant is chlorhexidine.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, wherein said propellant is dimethyl ether.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said mammal is a dairy cow, and saiddisinfectant is applied simultaneously with chilling of said skinsurface.